RUSSIA

Russia is our next country to examine in our study of Asia. We will begin with general information covering physical features, economics, government, religion and the arts, and finish with a brief examination of Russian History with emphasis on the Communist Revolution. Pay attention to the excellent pictures that are distributed throughout. Enjoy your quick peek at this huge nation.

Flag of Russia

Russia (in red), the largest country on earth, stretches across 2 continents from Europe’s Baltic Sea in the West to the Pacific Ocean in the east—an area of more than 17,000,000 square miles covering 11 time zones with 16 independent countries for neighbors along its borders, and almost 23,000 miles of coastline when counting the Caspian and Black Seas.

Russia’s population of 146,000,000 is larger than that of any European nation; 9th largest in the world.Moscow is Russia’s capital and largest city with a population of approximately 12,000,000.

Russian Orthodox Christian Church on ‘Red Square’ in Moscow. The ‘onion domes’ and use of color make this building a great example of Russian art and architecture.

Downtown Moscow, the business, economic, and government center of Russia.

Language: Russian (русский язык, tr. rússkiy yazýk)

Climate: varied with large areas of TUNDRA, TAIGA, and STEPPE with a scattering of warmer climates. Russia’s lowest and highest recorded temperatures: 96 degrees below 0 and 114 degrees. In a land as vast as Russia, weather varies wildly but Russians can count on LONG, COLD WINTERS.

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHYThe physical geography of Russia is extraordinarily varied and hard to describe in a few words. But, here are a few highlights:

Much of the eastern and northern portions of Russia are made up of lowland plains. Much of central Russia is a vast area of rolling steppe terrain higher in elevation than lowland plains—often windy and always very cold in winter and hot in summer.

The Volga River, Russia’s longest, flows south through lowland plains of east Russia until it empties into the Caspian Sea.

Mountain Ranges: Caucasus Mountains located along Russia’s south east border. Ural Mountains are generally considered the divide between Europe and Asia Highest Peak: Mt. Elbrus, elevation 18,000 ft., in the Caucasus Mountains, a dormant volcano.

Mt. Elbrus, Russia’s highest peak Bodies of water are important in Russian History as well as to present day trade and transportation.Largest freshwater Lake: Lake Baikal, in central Russia, is the deepest fresh water lake in the world. It is estimated that 1/5 of all liquid freshwater on earth is stored in Lake Baikal. The Caspian Sea-the largest landlocked body of water in the world, is located in south central Russia.The Black Sea of south central Russia is particularly important because it gives Russians access to the Mediterranean Sea (as long as they are able to use the Bosporus and Dardanelles).

Kamchatka Peninsula is a notable feature located off Russia’s east coast. The peninsula extends into the Pacific northeast of Japan.

An impressive volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula.

SIBERIA is the largest area within Russia, covering over 13,000,000 square miles but with a population of only 33,000,000 people. The population is sparse primarily because of the long, extremely cold winters with the average January temperature dropping to 13 degrees below zero. Siberia is notorious for being the location where anyone opposing the Russian government was exiled (sentenced).

The end of the line for the Trans-Siberian Railroad, mile marker 9,288, Vladivostok, on the coast of the Sea of Japan.

Siberia, NOT a cool place to be confined.

GOVERNMENTRussia, at least in name, is a Constitutional Republic with 3 ‘Branches of Government’. Russia has a President (over foreign affairs), Prime Minister (over domestic affairs), a ‘bicameral’ legislature called the ‘Duma’, and a judicial court system.

The Russian Duma, home for the Russian legislature.

The Russian Constitution allows the President to serve a maximum of 2 terms. As set forth by their constitution, elections are to be monitored with an honest, fair system of counting ballots.

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN.

President Putin is the head of state, meaning that he has authority in conjunction with the legislature over Russia’s dealings with foreign countries. Prime Minister Medvedev has authority (in conjunction with the legislature) over domestic affairs. Domestic affairs include internal issues that affect only other Russians. Putin as president is recognized as holding a higher office and wields more power than Medvedev, the PM. (Medvedev recently resigned as PM to take another top post in the Russian gov.)

Prime Minister Medvedev, President Putin

CORRUPTION IN GOVERNMENT is widespread. Given that corruption is and has been an integral part of Russian political life, one might wonder if Russian elections are actually handled honestly and fairly.

RUSSIAN ECONOMY The Russian economy has adopted some capitalistic principles and is now the 11th largest economy in the world. (CALIFORNIA statistically generates more economic activity than all of Russia.)

Russia is blessed with an abundance of resources: minerals, petroleum, natural gas, wildlife, fertile soil, timber, and productive coastal fishing.

Crude oil and natural gas account for about 80% of all Russian exports. Russia possesses a gigantic reserve of all fossil fuels-oil, natural gas, and coal—that will serve Russia’s future well. Russia is now an exporter of grain when only a few years ago she had to import grain just to feed her own people. The message here is that Russia’s improved agricultural practices and implementation of capitalistic principles has made a difference for the Russian people. (Socialist policies, however, remain in place.)

Barley is just one of several grains that Russia exports to foreign markets.

The Russian economy with its abundant natural resources is well situated to continue to grow for years to come IF government remains stable and committed to free market economics. But Russia still has improvements to make. An estimated 20% of the Russian people live in poverty.

INTERESTING ECONOMIC NOTEIt is interesting to note that when Russia lowered its tax rates a few years ago, the economy began to grow and more tax revenues were collected. When President Trump and Congress lowered taxes in the United State, our American economy experienced a growth spurt marked by a large number of new jobs created, a decrease in the number of unemployed workers, and a reduction in the number of people receiving ‘food stamps’. The improvements in both countries did not happen by accident!

RELIGION IN RUSSIA When Russia was part of the Soviet Union (USSR), the communist government attempted to purge all forms of religion. Despite those efforts about 40% of Russians claim Eastern Orthodox Christianity as their religion. Only about 13% identify as atheists. 6% of the population claim to be Muslim. There is NO STATE CHURCH in Russia so citizens are much freer to worship in their own way than during the days of the Soviet Union.

This beautiful building is headquarters for the Russian Christian Church. It is also recognized as a WORLD HERITAGE SITE.

THE ARTS IN RUSSIA Russia is noted for its love of music and dance, particularly ballet. Russian composer Tchaikovsky wrote the Nutcracker and many other compositions appropriate for ballet.

Russian Leo Tolstoy authored War and Peace, one of the great novels ever written. His wisdom lives on not only in his books but in quotes. Here are three of the quotes. As you read them, give them thought.

“Pay bad people with your goodness, fight their hate with your kindness. Even if you do not achieve victory over people, you will conquer yourself.”

“Wrong does not cease to be wrong even if the majority share in it.”

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”

Russian author Leo Tolstoy

A FINAL PICURE—A DUPLICATE OF THE ROCKET RUSSIAN SCIENTISTS USED TO LAUNCH ‘SPUTNIK’, THE FIRST MAN-MADE SATTELITE, INTO SPACE, 1957.

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